Generalized homogeneous precipitation method for precisely controlled synthesis of mesoporous silicas

摘要

A simple synthesis pathway has been developed which affords organized mesoporous silicas using inexpensive sodium metasilicate as the silica source and nonionic surfactants as the structure-directing agents. Due to their precipitation from an alkaline medium, these materials exhibit markedly different structure features from those prepared in an acid medium, being non-microporous. The precipitation should be carried out at strictly quiescent conditions, as stirring leads to an inevitable decrease in the pore ordering.